Valley View Miniature Galloways

21/12/2024

19/12/2024

09/12/2024

While it's no advent calendar, I thought we could have some fun between now and the big day...... watch this space 😉🎄 🎅

28/11/2024

Until the cows come ho...... to school?!

Cows are such a huge part of our lives and our children's lives. It was a privilege to take some calves to New Horizons Preschool Lenah Valley and to Collinsvale Primary School today to share the bovine love.

We took 6 calves for a trip (left our newest little love behind with his mum). It's amazing how just loading and unloading from the trailer and a drive settles the calves.

At preschool we unloaded Violet (red) and Vinnie (black) and just held them steady with their halters. They both did an outstanding job and were unbelievably patient and still. One little girl came out and nearly cried, "ohhhh cows are my favourite, I've never seen a real one before though!" and then proceeded to give Vinnie the most wholesome hug I've ever seen.

At the primary school, we had a lot more children, including children with additional needs and supports. We also had a very much appreciated extra set of hands so Victory came to the party too.

After a recent horror tragedy at a Tasmanian school, the risk management planning and prep work that went in to making this happen behind the scenes was phenomenal and we are so glad it all came together. Due to the risk management, we had to have the calves in a pen but this worked well. It allowed us to funnel the children and when Victory needed a little minute to reset, he was able to have that little bit of space. I was really proud of all the calves and was so intrigued to watch how they interacted with all the children. They seem to have an innate sense of how calm to be around children and I love seeing that change in them.

I'm not going to lie - I had a terrible sleep last night and kept dreaming of every single thing that could possible go wrong with a dozen 3-4 year olds and with 60 odd 4-12 year olds but I'm please to announce not a single hoof was stepped out of line and all human and bovine behaviour was exemplary

The beautiful Victory, Violet and Vinnie from Valley View Miniature Galloways are visiting us at school today. Miniature Galloways look similar to Scottish Highlands, but they don't grow horns and are smaller. Thanks Kate and Evelyn for sharing your beautiful animals with us!

27/11/2024

I've been slack in introducing our newest (and very late!) arrival!

As we were preparing for the Brighton Show and loading the cattle into the trailer, Sapphire delivered her first calf. A little black bull calf!

What to do with this handsome fellow is a bit of a pickle - we'd normally castrate and sell him as a pair of steers but with being so much later than the others, his future is not yet decided.

Happy to take any 'V' name suggestions 😅

15/11/2024

Vinnie the champion. He adapts so quickly and is on his was to mastering the halter. You can see as the kids come up to him, he has a moment of being in flight mode and then adapts to her being about and takes it in his stride

14/11/2024

Victory, the little red bull that could! He's starting to fill out beautifully! After a slow start getting used to the halter, he's improving every day

14/11/2024

Vera (red heifer) halter training today

10/11/2024

Apparently I can't upload photos and videos at the same time so here's some videos of today at the Brighton Show. Enjoy!

10/11/2024

Well it's rather hard to describe today. The words amazing, satisfying, proud..... they only say part of this overwhelming feeling I have after the Brighton Show today. I'll do a post in the next few days about exactly who won what classes but let's just say our cattle exceeded our expectations.

I was on the fence about attending this show - crops are going in, Angus cows have been calving, kids are time consuming and life in general is busy at the moment. After a solid push from a friend, I decided to enter some cattle. The plan was to take heifers Trooper and Twilight and Sapphire with her calf at foot. Now Sapphire was due almost a month ago but apparently no one told her that! As the days until the show counted down, I began to worry that her calf wouldn't show up on time.

A last minute change of plans when I decided that Sapphire was too close to calving and decided to take Sleeping Beauty and red heifer calf, Violet instead. As it turned out, this was a wise decision - as we went to load the cattle into the trailer, Sapphire delivered a beautiful black bull calf (more about this later!)

Sleeping Beauty hasn't been haltered or taken out for 2 years (since our last show season) and Violet had very limited halter training. It made for a stressful few days prior to the show, wondering if I'd made the right decisions.

I am DELIGHTED to say that everyone EXCELLED. Trooper and Twilight went really well in their classes and Twilight in particular had some exceptional feedback from the judge. The judge made a point of finding us later and conveying her approval of our cattle and the direction of our breeding, leaving me feeling very chuffed.

Sleeping Beauty was a well mannered lady and made plenty of friends.

Our star achiever though, was little Violet.... what a SUPERSTAR! My 4, 6 and 7 year old children all led her easily. I would say that easily thousands of hands patted and loved her today. She took it all in her stride without a single moment of fear or tantrum.

Everyone is pleased to be home. Cattle are having a special treat dinner of lucerne chaff and pellets and the humans are showered and resting.

I cannot thank our helpers enough. We had an amazing amount of support from other breeders/studs, family and members of the public. Everyone really came together to make today 10/10 ❤

09/11/2024

We're all set up at the Brighton Show! Heifers Trooper and Twilight are making their debut and Sleeping Beauty has returned but this time with calf Violet 😍

If you come to the show, please be sure to stop by and say hello 👋

05/11/2024

Are you heading to the Brighton Show this Sunday? Come and see us! If you head to the cattle section, we will be right in the middle - just look for the littlest cows!

27/10/2024

Well it's been a little minute since our last post! We've been frantically ploughing and sowing crops alongside our Angus calving. Spring time on the farm hey!

I've just started the calves formal training. They aren't yet weaned but I'm looking to take at least one cow + calf to the Brighton Show on November 10th so it's time to get them used to those halters!

Here's a cute little photo of Velvet, Violet and Vinnie today. They grow up so fast!

25/08/2024

This little calf also never got her name announced because someone decided to let the kids name her. Cue days of arguing until I intervened and chose one of their choices!

Introducing Violet. Sleeping Beauty has done a great job for a first time dam